


Hitting Them Where it Hurts

by Alidravana



Series: Hurts Like Hell [12]
Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, F/M, FebuWhump2021, Fluff, M/M, Self-Defense, day15, mention of past sexual abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 10:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30037377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alidravana/pseuds/Alidravana
Summary: Written for Day 15 ("run, don't look back") prompt for Febuwhump 2021.Clay and Emma teach a self-defense class together.Mentions of past sexual abuse but no details are in this fic.  Takes place after 'Talk to you with my hands tied'.
Relationships: Emma Hayes/Original Male Character(s), Trent Sawyer/Clay Spenser
Series: Hurts Like Hell [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2140548
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	Hitting Them Where it Hurts

Clay peered into the classroom. All the desks had been shifted to the side of the room, and exercise mats placed evenly apart in the space that had been cleared. About ten students had shown up, mostly female, which was what he had expected. A lone male stood at the back of the room looking a bit out of place. He looked over at Emma, who was standing next to him. “I’m glad you were willing to help me out with this Emma,” Clay said honestly, feeling a bit nervous about the lesson they were about to teach. 

A few months after Emma was attacked, she had started looking into self-defense classes, but found that they all required a commitment to several classes and had a relatively high price tag. Emma thought that was a barrier for several students and had asked Clay if he’d be willing to teach a few self-defense classes on campus. Clay had agreed, but only if Emma would instruct with him. Clay knew that he had the experience, but hadn’t had much practice in teaching this sort of class.

“And thank you for volunteering your time Clay,” Emma said, grabbing Clay’s hand. “Let’s get started,” she added, pulling Clay into the room behind her. She had sensed his apprehension and figured they better get the show on the road. 

“Hello everyone!” Emma said, welcoming the students to the class with a bright smile. “My name is Emma, and this is my best friend, Clay.” She motioned at Clay who gave the class a shy wave. “And we will be teaching you all some simple self-defense techniques to help keep yourselves and your friends safe.”

“Whoa, wait,” a dark haired girl said near the front of the class. “I thought this lesson would be taught by a female? You know, someone safe?” She exchanged a concerned look with her friend next to her.

Clay glanced at Emma to see if she was okay with him answering the question. They had discussed this possibility prior and had several explanations prepared depending on the issues that could be raised. With her nod, he stepped forward a bit, but still kept quite a distance from the student who had posed the question, not wanting to be intimidating. 

“I understand your concern,” Clay replied. Seeing the eye roll from the younger female, he shook his head in response. “No, really, I understand where you are coming from. I’m a survivor of sexual abuse.” Clay said honestly, not dodging around the topic but not going into any details either. “I’m also a bisexual man who’s enlisted in the US Navy. I have the training and the experience to instruct you all to defend yourselves. But I acknowledge the reality that that knowledge and my appearance can make me seem threatening.” 

Clay paused, taking a deep breath. It was always hard to acknowledge that he could be intimidating, as that was never his intent in situations like this. Tilting his head in Emma’s direction, he continued to explain their approach. “That is why Emma will be performing all of the self-defense techniques on myself and if anyone needs their stance or positioning corrected, then she can assist with that, with my guidance if needed.” Clay glanced around at each of the students, making sure that he met all of their eyes. “We’d like this to be a safe and welcoming lesson. If at any point you are uncomfortable please let Emma or I know, or if you need to leave, please do so. No offense will be taken.”

The student who had posed her question nodded, looking a bit more relaxed after Clay’s explanation. After glancing around the room to see if there were any more questions, Emma decided to proceed with the lesson. “Okay, everyone, let’s do some stretches with a small warm up, and then we will get into our first lesson which I like to refer to as ‘hitting them where it hurts’,’’ Emma said with a grin.

XXXXX

“Now my second last piece of advice for this evening,” Clay said seriously, gazing around the class as Emma led them through some cool down routines. “If you have the opportunity to get away, you run, don’t look back.” A couple of the students looked startled at that suggestion, after learning a few key methods of defending themselves in the class. “Yes, even if a friend is still in danger. Unless you feel capable of taking out your attacker, which you would all need to get much more extensive training to do, you run if you have the chance. You run to the nearest public location and you call for help.”

The man at the back of the room held up his hand. At Clay’s nod, he asked “And what is your last piece of advice?”

“Thanks for asking Carlos,” Clay said with a grin. He was happy to see that their only male participant was slowly gaining enough confidence to ask questions in the room. “My last piece of advice is that you come back for our next class, as practice builds muscle memory. And please tell your friends about the lessons as well.”

His last words were met with a round of applause. Smiling at Emma, he headed on out in case anyone had any questions that they wanted to ask her in private. Clay was surprised to see Trent in the hall, but greeted his partner happily with a gentle kiss.

“Sounds like it went well,” Trent said, referring to the clapping he had heard from his place in the hallway.

“Yeah, I think it was a good start,” Clay replied honestly, pretty satisfied with how the class had gone. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?” Clay thought Trent was going to visit his mom this weekend.

“Well, I picked up Emma’s boyfriend on my way. He’s just waiting outside with the jeep,” Trent replied, nodding his head towards the main entrance. “We wanted to celebrate your guys’ first class, take you two for a late dinner?” 

Emma caught the tail end of Trent’s question while leaving the classroom. “Hey Trent!” She greeted him with a big grin and then looked down at her stomach in embarrassment as it rumbled loudly. “Food sounds like a great idea,” she confessed, and headed out the door to greet her boyfriend.

Taking Trent’s hand, Clay tugged on his arm slightly so he could whisper into Trent’s ear. “Jason put us up to this, didn’t he?” he asked quietly, suspecting that Jason had asked Trent and Clay to check out Emma’s new boyfriend.

“It was a strongly-worded suggestion, which I think we should follow.” Trent said with a slight grimace, remembering the conversation with Jason. “Otherwise, I think we might be stuck with teaching the Green Team for a few weeks.”

Clay shrugged, his time with the Green Team was a lot more recent than Trent’s, they really weren’t that bad. But he also didn’t mind the idea of going out on a double date with another couple. “So your treat?” Clay double-checked, wrapping his arm around Trent’s waist, leaning into his partner as they walked out to rejoin the other couple.

“My treat,” Trent replied with a kiss to the top of Clay’s head, letting go of his partner so they could both climb in his jeep. 

“Ugh, you two are so sickening sweet,” Emma teased, snuggled into the backseat next to her boyfriend, Adam.

Clay just turned around and stuck out his tongue at her in response. 

“Are you sure you two aren’t related?” Adam asked tentatively, looking between Emma and Clay. “You two act like brother and sister.”

“Definitely not,” Clay and Emma replied at the same time, and then started laughing. 

Trent looked into the rearview mirror at Adam. “See what I have to put up with?” Trent said jokingly, and pulled out of the parking lot. He reached across the middle console to grab Clay’s hand, making sure to give it a good, reassuring squeeze. Trent loved having to put up with Clay.


End file.
